Food & Fete: African Lamb Shank

Except the loin cloth please. You may however use it as a couture dish towel while we whip up African Lamb Shank, a sample creation from my upcoming Meats 101 Course at CaterArts2010. (Have you registered?!) Continuing on the World Cup kick (yep, pun intended), what better place to get acquainted with such a unique and diverse continent than in your kitchen? Africa offers a variety of flavors and aromas not found on your usual dinner table. Let’s get started!

Ingredients:

Lamb Shank

4 ea Lamb Shanks

2 cups Diced Red Onion

3 oz Butter

2 cups Stock or Demi

2 cups Red Wine

1 tbs Garlic

1 oz Worcestershire Sauce

6 ea Cooked Quail Eggs

2 tbs Berbere Paste

Berbere Paste

2 tsp Cumin seeds

4 Garlic Cloves

¾ tsp Cardamom Seed

½ tsp Black Peppercorns

¼ tsp Whole Allspice

1 tsp Fenugreek Seeds

½ tsp Coriander

4 ea Dry Red Chili Peppers

½ tsp Fresh Ginger

¼ tsp Tumeric

1 tsp Salt

2½ tbs Paprika

1/8 tsp Cinnamon

Method:

Berbere Paste: Toast cumin, cloves, cardamom, peppercorns, allspice, fenugreek, coriander and chili peppers. In a mortar grind the toasted ingredients. Mix in the rest of the ingredients, set aside.

Lamb: Marinate lamb with garlic, Worcestershire sauce. Sautee onions in dry pan until they darken. Add butter and berbere paste. Add lamb to the pan, deglaze with red wine and add stock. Cook until the lamb is tender.

Unfortunately, Team USA is now out of the running. The female conglomerate here at AJW seems to be rooting for the team with the most eye candy/potential to bring home to mom! Having that debate yourself, you say? Here’s a little something to help pass the time as the lamb shank marinates. Enjoy!